Leading by example

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 10:19:58 +0000

President Edgar Lungu yesterday led the way towards reconciliation in the ruling party by pardoning all the Patriotic Front renegades who rebelled after being left out in the adoption process, stood as Independents and won – terribly embarrassing its leadership.

The 12 rebels who contested the August 11 election as Independents had been the subject of heated debate in the ruling party with the PF secretary general Davis Mwila ordering party leaders on the Copperbelt to ignore them completely by refusing to work with them at all levels of the party.

The Members of Parliament, who have worked closely with the governing party in the National Assembly and helped the PF comfortably win some of the hotly contested divisions in the House which called for a vote, protested to President Lungu, appealing to him to convince his fellow leaders not to antagonise them, saying there was safety in numbers.

And the President put the matter to rest on arrival in Kalulushi yesterday by dramatically pardoning the Independents and calling on all PF members to welcome and embrace them as prodigal sons who deserve a special place in the Patriotic Front family.

Those forgiven include4 Mr Mutale Mwila who defeated former Copperbelt provincial minister Mwenya Musenge for the Chimwemwe constituency and Mr Jewis Chabi who upstaged PF secretary general Mwila in Chipili.

The significance of the clemency cannot be over-emphasized. It comes at a time the ruling party faces struggles within itself amid calls by a few but out-spoken senior members that there should be top-to-bottom elections in the party.

It is quite clear that the pardoning of the Independent MPs will help the healing process in the party and subsequently lower the political barometer which has been rising among the rank and file of the party over the Chishimba Kambwili and Kelvin Bwalya Fube affair.

It also proves that President Lungu is in charge and does not need to consult anyone if he sees an opportunity to unify his party. That is why this particular decision took those accompanying the President on the one-day visit to the Copperbelt Province by surprise.

President Lungu told a surprised PF SG Mwila: ‘‘Where is the secretary general? Please note that I have with immediate effect pardoned all former PF members who stood as Independents, including Honourable Mwila of Chimwemwe and the young man who defeated you in Chipili. I have pardoned all of them.’’

That decision to pardon party members who deliberately defied authority of their own party and embarrassed its leaders by defeating its official candidates, speaks volumes for the single-mindedness of the President and his burning desire to consolidate the party and not leave anyone behind.

Very few people, especially leaders, have the audacity and magnanimity to forgive a political foe. The President has set a fine example to all who love the PF that all members – being founders, new ones or prodigal sons – can co-exist and bring value to the ruling party.

Even those trying to undermine their own party leader must find something in their hearts to make them realise that President Lungu means well for the PF. He needs their support to drive the party’s agenda forward.

The Patriotic Front has been wrought by revolts, struggles and subterfuge. It is about time those trying to oust President Lungu from the PF leadership realise he is a political giant among his peers and a great asset with rare qualities.

They may do well to say ‘‘We are sorry’’ and be pardoned, otherwise they may soon found out that the consequences of their actions are too ghastly to contemplate.